Thousands sign up for GM electric car

An electric car fan has published a list of people interested in buying the Chevrolet Volt, which was first shown as a concept in January 2007.

Lyle Dennis, a New York neurologist, started up the website GM-Volt.com to garner interest in the car, which could be the first battery-powered car to make it to the mass market (if Toyota doesn't beat GM to it).

And Dennis' unofficial list now has 33,411 prospective buyers on it all waiting for the arrival of the car hopefully in 2010.

These include potential buyers from 46 countries outside the United States.

The website data also reveals that the average price buyers are willing to pay for the car is $31,261 but this is a lot less than the $40,000 GM says that it will cost to build the first-generation of the Volt.

As well as launching the website, Dennis also set up a meeting between electric car fans called the "Volt Nation" and GM executives at the New York Auto Show earlier this year.

When asked about his motivations by Reuters, Dennis said: "If everyone who wanted a Volt could get one, that would be the dream".